US20120018440A1 - Side action insert / skeletal stiffening ribs - Google Patents
Side action insert / skeletal stiffening ribs Download PDFInfo
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- US20120018440A1 US20120018440A1 US13/185,528 US201113185528A US2012018440A1 US 20120018440 A1 US20120018440 A1 US 20120018440A1 US 201113185528 A US201113185528 A US 201113185528A US 2012018440 A1 US2012018440 A1 US 2012018440A1
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- Prior art keywords
- rib member
- outwardly directed
- container according
- sidewall portion
- container
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D1/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material, by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
- B65D1/40—Details of walls
- B65D1/42—Reinforcing or strengthening parts or members
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D1/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material, by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
- B65D1/02—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents
- B65D1/0223—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents characterised by shape
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
- B65D2501/0009—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures designed for pouring contents
- B65D2501/0018—Ribs
- B65D2501/0027—Hollow longitudinal ribs
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
- B65D2501/0009—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures designed for pouring contents
- B65D2501/0081—Bottles of non-circular cross-section
Definitions
- This disclosure generally relates to containers for retaining a commodity, such as a solid or liquid commodity. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a container having vertically disposed stiffening ribs extending along at least a sidewall of a container.
- PET containers are now being used more than ever to package numerous commodities previously supplied in glass containers.
- PET is a crystallizable polymer, meaning that it is available in an amorphous form or a semi-crystalline form.
- the ability of a PET container to maintain its material integrity relates to the percentage of the PET container in crystalline form, also known as the “crystallinity” of the PET container.
- the following equation defines the percentage of crystallinity as a volume fraction:
- ⁇ is the density of the PET material
- ⁇ a is the density of pure amorphous PET material (1.333 g/cc)
- ⁇ c is the density of pure crystalline material (1.455 g/cc).
- Container manufacturers use mechanical processing and thermal processing to increase the PET polymer crystallinity of a container.
- Mechanical processing involves orienting the amorphous material to achieve strain hardening. This processing commonly involves stretching an injection molded PET preform along a longitudinal axis and expanding the PET preform along a transverse or radial axis to form a PET container. The combination promotes what manufacturers define as biaxial orientation of the molecular structure in the container.
- Manufacturers of PET containers currently use mechanical processing to produce PET containers having approximately 20% crystallinity in the container's sidewall.
- Thermal processing involves heating the material (either amorphous or semi-crystalline) to promote crystal growth.
- thermal processing of PET material results in a spherulitic morphology that interferes with the transmission of light. In other words, the resulting crystalline material is opaque, and thus, generally undesirable.
- thermal processing results in higher crystallinity and excellent clarity for those portions of the container having biaxial molecular orientation.
- the thermal processing of an oriented PET container which is known as heat setting, typically includes blow molding a PET preform against a mold heated to a temperature of approximately 250° F.-350° F.
- PET juice bottles which must be hot-filled at approximately 185° F. (85° C.), currently use heat setting to produce PET bottles having an overall crystallinity in the range of approximately 25% -35%.
- FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an exemplary container incorporating the features of the present teachings
- FIG. 2 is a side view of the exemplary container incorporating the features of the present teachings
- FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the exemplary container incorporating the features of the present teachings
- FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary container of FIG. 1 incorporating the features of the present teachings
- FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of an exemplary container incorporating the features of the present teachings
- FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary container of FIG. 5 incorporating the features of the present teachings
- FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of an exemplary container incorporating the features of the present teachings.
- FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the exemplary container of FIG. 7 incorporating the features of the present teachings.
- Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure.
- first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
- Spatially relative terms such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
- This disclosure provides for a container being made of PET or other thermoplastic and incorporating one or more vertically oriented reinforcement ribs or seam features.
- the rib or seam features provide increased structural integrity of the container without unduly increasing its weight or preventing the manufacture, filling, transporting or general use of the container using conventional equipment and processes.
- the size and specific configuration of the container may not be particularly limiting and, thus, the principles of the present teachings can be applicable to a wide variety of thermoplastic container shapes. Therefore, it should be recognized that variations can exist in the present embodiments. That is, it should be appreciated that the teachings of the present disclosure can be used in a wide variety of containers, including reusable/disposable packages including resealable containers (e.g., TupperWare® containers), dried food containers (e.g., dried milk), drug containers, chemical packaging, squeezable containers, recyclable containers, and the like.
- resealable containers e.g., TupperWare® containers
- dried food containers e.g., dried milk
- drug containers e.g., chemical packaging, squeezable containers, recyclable containers, and the like.
- the present teachings provide a plastic, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or other thermoplastic, container generally indicated at 10 .
- the exemplary container 10 can be substantially elongated when viewed from a side and rectangular when viewed from above.
- PET polyethylene terephthalate
- the exemplary container 10 can be substantially elongated when viewed from a side and rectangular when viewed from above.
- Those of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the following teachings of the present disclosure are applicable to other containers, such as rectangular, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, polygonal, or square shaped containers, which may have different dimensions and volume capacities. It is also contemplated that other modifications can be made depending on the specific application and environmental requirements.
- container 10 has been designed to retain a commodity.
- the commodity may be in any form such as a solid or semi-solid product.
- a commodity may be introduced into the container during a thermal process, typically a hot-fill process.
- bottlers generally fill the container 10 with a product at an elevated temperature between approximately 155° F. to 205° F. (approximately 68° C. to 96° C.) and seal the container 10 with a closure before cooling.
- the plastic container 10 may be suitable for other high-temperature pasteurization or retort filling processes or other thermal processes as well.
- the commodity may be introduced into the container under ambient temperatures.
- the exemplary plastic container 10 defines a body 12 , and includes an upper portion 14 having a cylindrical sidewall 18 forming a finish 20 . Integrally formed with the finish 20 and extending downward therefrom is a shoulder portion 22 .
- the shoulder portion 22 merges into and provides a transition between the finish 20 and a sidewall portion 24 .
- the sidewall portion 24 extends downward from the shoulder portion 22 to a base portion 28 having a base 30 .
- sidewall portion 24 can extend down and nearly abut base 30 , thereby minimizing the overall area of base portion 28 such that there is not a discernable base portion 28 when exemplary container 10 is uprightly-placed on a surface.
- the exemplary container 10 may also have a neck 23 .
- the neck 23 may have an extremely short height, that is, becoming a short extension from the finish 20 , or an elongated height, extending between the finish 20 and the shoulder portion 22 .
- the upper portion 14 can define an opening for filling and dispensing of a commodity stored therein.
- the container is shown as a beverage container, it should be appreciated that containers having different shapes, such as sidewalls and openings, can be made according to the principles of the present teachings.
- the finish 20 of the exemplary plastic container 10 may include a threaded region 46 having threads 48 , a lower sealing ridge 50 , and a support ring 51 .
- the threaded region provides a means for attachment of a similarly threaded closure or cap (not shown).
- Alternatives may include other suitable devices that engage the finish 20 of the exemplary plastic container 10 , such as a press-fit or snap-fit cap for example.
- the closure or cap engages the finish 20 to preferably provide a hermetical seal of the exemplary plastic container 10 .
- the closure or cap is preferably of a plastic or metal material conventional to the closure industry and suitable for subsequent thermal processing.
- container 10 can comprise one or more vertically oriented reinforcing ribs or seams 100 formed in the sidewall portion 24 of container 10 .
- reinforcing ribs or seams 100 can be formed in any one or more of shoulder portion 22 , sidewall portion 24 , and/or base portion 28 .
- container 10 can comprise one or more horizontally or circumferentially-disposed reinforcing ribs or seams 100 formed in at least one of the finish 20 , the sidewall portion 24 , or the base portion 28 of container 10 (see FIGS. 7 and 8 ).
- ribs or seams 100 can serve a dual purpose as also a standing ring or other surface which is used to support the container 10 on a surface. As will be discussed herein, in such embodiments, ribs or seams 100 can extend along the base portion 28 such that a distal end is generally even with a plane extending along the sidewall portion 24 . In some embodiments, reinforcing ribs or seams 100 are formed as a very thin rib of material extending outwardly from sidewall portion 24 .
- Reinforcing ribs or seams 100 can be formed during the blow-molding process.
- a side action mechanism within the blow mold can be used to create a vertical seam in the form of a very thin rib of material on the container sidewall or to adjust the timing of the blow mold system to create a “flashing” effect to create the vertical structure along the blow mold parting lines. That is, a side action mechanism can be actuated to draw a portion of the mold outwardly to permit material of the perform to form therein. This outward draw of the mold causes an associated outward formation in the resultant container shape, thereby forming reinforcing ribs or seams 100 .
- flash can be used to create or define the reinforcing ribs and seams 100 . That is, a parting line between portions of the mold can be positioned such that material that flows within this mold seams results in a narrow rib of material along the outside surface of sidewall portion 24 . In this way, the narrow rib of material forms a structural reinforcing member that is provides improved structural integrity of container 10 .
- this flash material can be trimmed to a desired size and or shape; however, it should be appreciated that this is an optional processing step. In some embodiments, these principles can be combined with optional standing ring features to provide additional benefits and advantages.
- the principles of the present teachings can be used to manufacture stand-up-pouch-like structures that include the consumer benefits of PET bottles and improved recyclability as compared to current stand-up-pouch offerings. Additionally, the principles of the present teachings provide sufficient structural integrity to enable the container to survive existing storage, distribution, and filling infrastructure.
- reinforcing ribs or seams 100 can be formed at corner portions 110 of sidewall portion 24 .
- reinforcing ribs or seams 100 can be formed such that they are viewable from alternating sides of container 10 . That is, ribs or seams 100 can be viewable from sides 150 , while generally concealed from sides 152 .
- ribs or seams 100 can define an inwardly directed channel 154 resulting in an outwardly directed portion 156 .
- outwardly directly portion 156 can be shaped similar to a finger having a distal tip 158 .
- distal tip 158 of outwardly directed portion 156 of reinforcing rib or seam 100 can extend along side 152 to a position generally even with adjacent side 150 . This can permit labels to smoothly conform to the outermost shape of the container 10 and/or provide an unobstructive container contour that is generally pleasing to the touch. However, it should be recognized that distal tip 158 can extend along side 152 to a position beyond adjacent side 150 and/or to a position below adjacent side 150 .
- ribs or seams 100 can be disposed in container 100 in a radial fashion such that the size and/or shape of the ribs or seams 100 is generally equal at each radial position about container 10 when viewed from above. Conversely, however, ribs or seams 100 can be disposed in container 100 in a non-uniform fashion, if desired. Still further, it should be understood that ribs and seams 100 can be disposed in mirrored relationship as illustrated in FIG. 4 . Still further, ribs and seams 100 can be disposed such that a pair or more of ribs and seams 100 can be seen from opposing surfaces and concealed when viewed from adjacent opposing surfaces (see FIGS. 5 and 6 ).
- inwardly directed channel 154 of ribs and seams 100 can define or include a generally arcuate surface 160 .
- arcuate surface 160 can define a radius that transitions from side 150 to an interior surface of outwardly directed portion 156 .
- outwardly directed portion 156 can be coplanar with sides 152 and extend a distance such that distal tip 158 is generally even with a plane defined by at least a portion of adjacent side 150 .
- Inwardly directed channel 154 can be formed as a radius extending from side 150 and terminating at an inner surface of outwardly directed portion 156 .
- ribs or seams 100 can serve as a hinge feature permitting the articulation and/or movement of the interface between sides 150 and 152 in response to application of a force, e.g. vacuum force, loading force, use force, and the like.
- a force e.g. vacuum force, loading force, use force, and the like.
- container 10 can further comprise transition lands 170 at opposing ends of ribs or seams 100 .
- transition lands 170 can comprise a pair of mirrored surfaces inwardly directed relative to container 10 .
- transition lands 170 can each being generally triangularly shaped to provide transition between ribs or seams 100 and adjacent surfaces, such as portions of sidewall portion 24 , shoulder portion 22 , and/or base portion 28 .
- Transition lands 170 can further provide structural reinforcement along ribs or seams 100 to further carry and then distributed carried forces.
Abstract
Description
- This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/365,865, filed on Jul. 20, 2010. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.
- This disclosure generally relates to containers for retaining a commodity, such as a solid or liquid commodity. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a container having vertically disposed stiffening ribs extending along at least a sidewall of a container.
- This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. This section also provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
- As a result of environmental and other concerns, plastic containers, more specifically polyester and even more specifically polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers are now being used more than ever to package numerous commodities previously supplied in glass containers. Manufacturers and fillers, as well as consumers, have recognized that PET containers are lightweight, inexpensive, recyclable and manufacturable in large quantities.
- Blow-molded plastic containers have become commonplace in packaging numerous commodities. PET is a crystallizable polymer, meaning that it is available in an amorphous form or a semi-crystalline form. The ability of a PET container to maintain its material integrity relates to the percentage of the PET container in crystalline form, also known as the “crystallinity” of the PET container. The following equation defines the percentage of crystallinity as a volume fraction:
-
- where ρ is the density of the PET material; ρa is the density of pure amorphous PET material (1.333 g/cc); and ρc is the density of pure crystalline material (1.455 g/cc).
- Container manufacturers use mechanical processing and thermal processing to increase the PET polymer crystallinity of a container. Mechanical processing involves orienting the amorphous material to achieve strain hardening. This processing commonly involves stretching an injection molded PET preform along a longitudinal axis and expanding the PET preform along a transverse or radial axis to form a PET container. The combination promotes what manufacturers define as biaxial orientation of the molecular structure in the container. Manufacturers of PET containers currently use mechanical processing to produce PET containers having approximately 20% crystallinity in the container's sidewall.
- Thermal processing involves heating the material (either amorphous or semi-crystalline) to promote crystal growth. On amorphous material, thermal processing of PET material results in a spherulitic morphology that interferes with the transmission of light. In other words, the resulting crystalline material is opaque, and thus, generally undesirable. Used after mechanical processing, however, thermal processing results in higher crystallinity and excellent clarity for those portions of the container having biaxial molecular orientation. The thermal processing of an oriented PET container, which is known as heat setting, typically includes blow molding a PET preform against a mold heated to a temperature of approximately 250° F.-350° F. (approximately 121° C.-177° C.), and holding the blown container against the heated mold for approximately two (2) to five (5) seconds. Manufacturers of PET juice bottles, which must be hot-filled at approximately 185° F. (85° C.), currently use heat setting to produce PET bottles having an overall crystallinity in the range of approximately 25% -35%.
- Unfortunately, in some applications, containers are often exposed to a wide variety of manufacturing, filling, transporting, and using forces that vary greatly. Moreover, many of the containers of today much reflect a certain consumer appeal without sacrificing structural integrity and performance. In light of the increased costs of materials and transportation, there is an ever present desire to reduce materials used and the overall weight of the container. Consequently, however, any major revisions of these containers can lead to the need for revised manufacturing and transportation solutions, which can quickly consume any savings realized through container redesign and reconstruction. Therefore, in some cases, it is desirable to achieve improvements in container design that do not require the redesign and associated retooling of the existing manufacturing systems and distribution networks. Therefore, there is a need for ultra-lightweight, thin-walled containers capable of surviving existing distribution and filling systems. The principles of the present teachings provide a thin-wall container having vertical seams for topload support and standing ring seam to support the container, thus creating a rigid frame to support the container as it moves through these traditional storage, distribution, and filling systems.
- Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
- The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
-
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an exemplary container incorporating the features of the present teachings; -
FIG. 2 is a side view of the exemplary container incorporating the features of the present teachings; -
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the exemplary container incorporating the features of the present teachings; -
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary container ofFIG. 1 incorporating the features of the present teachings; -
FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of an exemplary container incorporating the features of the present teachings; -
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary container ofFIG. 5 incorporating the features of the present teachings; -
FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of an exemplary container incorporating the features of the present teachings; and -
FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the exemplary container ofFIG. 7 incorporating the features of the present teachings. - Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
- Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure.
- The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
- When an element or layer is referred to as being “on”, “engaged to”, “connected to” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to”, “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
- Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
- Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
- This disclosure provides for a container being made of PET or other thermoplastic and incorporating one or more vertically oriented reinforcement ribs or seam features. The rib or seam features provide increased structural integrity of the container without unduly increasing its weight or preventing the manufacture, filling, transporting or general use of the container using conventional equipment and processes.
- It should be appreciated that the size and specific configuration of the container may not be particularly limiting and, thus, the principles of the present teachings can be applicable to a wide variety of thermoplastic container shapes. Therefore, it should be recognized that variations can exist in the present embodiments. That is, it should be appreciated that the teachings of the present disclosure can be used in a wide variety of containers, including reusable/disposable packages including resealable containers (e.g., TupperWare® containers), dried food containers (e.g., dried milk), drug containers, chemical packaging, squeezable containers, recyclable containers, and the like.
- Accordingly, the present teachings provide a plastic, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or other thermoplastic, container generally indicated at 10. The
exemplary container 10 can be substantially elongated when viewed from a side and rectangular when viewed from above. Those of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the following teachings of the present disclosure are applicable to other containers, such as rectangular, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, polygonal, or square shaped containers, which may have different dimensions and volume capacities. It is also contemplated that other modifications can be made depending on the specific application and environmental requirements. - In some embodiments,
container 10 has been designed to retain a commodity. The commodity may be in any form such as a solid or semi-solid product. In one example, a commodity may be introduced into the container during a thermal process, typically a hot-fill process. For hot-fill bottling applications, bottlers generally fill thecontainer 10 with a product at an elevated temperature between approximately 155° F. to 205° F. (approximately 68° C. to 96° C.) and seal thecontainer 10 with a closure before cooling. In addition, theplastic container 10 may be suitable for other high-temperature pasteurization or retort filling processes or other thermal processes as well. In another example, the commodity may be introduced into the container under ambient temperatures. - As shown in
FIGS. 1-4 , the exemplaryplastic container 10 according to the present teachings defines abody 12, and includes anupper portion 14 having acylindrical sidewall 18 forming afinish 20. Integrally formed with thefinish 20 and extending downward therefrom is ashoulder portion 22. Theshoulder portion 22 merges into and provides a transition between thefinish 20 and asidewall portion 24. Thesidewall portion 24 extends downward from theshoulder portion 22 to abase portion 28 having abase 30. In some embodiments,sidewall portion 24 can extend down and nearlyabut base 30, thereby minimizing the overall area ofbase portion 28 such that there is not adiscernable base portion 28 whenexemplary container 10 is uprightly-placed on a surface. - The
exemplary container 10 may also have aneck 23. Theneck 23 may have an extremely short height, that is, becoming a short extension from thefinish 20, or an elongated height, extending between thefinish 20 and theshoulder portion 22. Theupper portion 14 can define an opening for filling and dispensing of a commodity stored therein. Although the container is shown as a beverage container, it should be appreciated that containers having different shapes, such as sidewalls and openings, can be made according to the principles of the present teachings. - The
finish 20 of the exemplaryplastic container 10 may include a threadedregion 46 havingthreads 48, alower sealing ridge 50, and asupport ring 51. The threaded region provides a means for attachment of a similarly threaded closure or cap (not shown). Alternatives may include other suitable devices that engage thefinish 20 of the exemplaryplastic container 10, such as a press-fit or snap-fit cap for example. Accordingly, the closure or cap engages thefinish 20 to preferably provide a hermetical seal of the exemplaryplastic container 10. The closure or cap is preferably of a plastic or metal material conventional to the closure industry and suitable for subsequent thermal processing. - According to the principles of the present teachings,
container 10 can comprise one or more vertically oriented reinforcing ribs orseams 100 formed in thesidewall portion 24 ofcontainer 10. In some embodiments, reinforcing ribs orseams 100 can be formed in any one or more ofshoulder portion 22,sidewall portion 24, and/orbase portion 28. Moreover, in some embodiments,container 10 can comprise one or more horizontally or circumferentially-disposed reinforcing ribs orseams 100 formed in at least one of thefinish 20, thesidewall portion 24, or thebase portion 28 of container 10 (seeFIGS. 7 and 8 ). When used alongbase portion 28, ribs orseams 100 can serve a dual purpose as also a standing ring or other surface which is used to support thecontainer 10 on a surface. As will be discussed herein, in such embodiments, ribs orseams 100 can extend along thebase portion 28 such that a distal end is generally even with a plane extending along thesidewall portion 24. In some embodiments, reinforcing ribs orseams 100 are formed as a very thin rib of material extending outwardly fromsidewall portion 24. - Reinforcing ribs or
seams 100 can be formed during the blow-molding process. Specifically, in some embodiments, a side action mechanism within the blow mold can be used to create a vertical seam in the form of a very thin rib of material on the container sidewall or to adjust the timing of the blow mold system to create a “flashing” effect to create the vertical structure along the blow mold parting lines. That is, a side action mechanism can be actuated to draw a portion of the mold outwardly to permit material of the perform to form therein. This outward draw of the mold causes an associated outward formation in the resultant container shape, thereby forming reinforcing ribs or seams 100. - Alternatively, in some embodiments, flash can be used to create or define the reinforcing ribs and seams 100. That is, a parting line between portions of the mold can be positioned such that material that flows within this mold seams results in a narrow rib of material along the outside surface of
sidewall portion 24. In this way, the narrow rib of material forms a structural reinforcing member that is provides improved structural integrity ofcontainer 10. In some embodiments, this flash material can be trimmed to a desired size and or shape; however, it should be appreciated that this is an optional processing step. In some embodiments, these principles can be combined with optional standing ring features to provide additional benefits and advantages. - In some embodiments, the principles of the present teachings can be used to manufacture stand-up-pouch-like structures that include the consumer benefits of PET bottles and improved recyclability as compared to current stand-up-pouch offerings. Additionally, the principles of the present teachings provide sufficient structural integrity to enable the container to survive existing storage, distribution, and filling infrastructure.
- In some embodiments, as illustrated in
FIG. 4 , reinforcing ribs orseams 100 can be formed at corner portions 110 ofsidewall portion 24. Specifically, in some embodiments, reinforcing ribs orseams 100 can be formed such that they are viewable from alternating sides ofcontainer 10. That is, ribs orseams 100 can be viewable fromsides 150, while generally concealed fromsides 152. As such, ribs orseams 100 can define an inwardly directedchannel 154 resulting in an outwardly directedportion 156. In some embodiments, outwardly directlyportion 156 can be shaped similar to a finger having adistal tip 158. In some embodiments, as shown,distal tip 158 of outwardly directedportion 156 of reinforcing rib orseam 100 can extend alongside 152 to a position generally even withadjacent side 150. This can permit labels to smoothly conform to the outermost shape of thecontainer 10 and/or provide an unobstructive container contour that is generally pleasing to the touch. However, it should be recognized thatdistal tip 158 can extend alongside 152 to a position beyondadjacent side 150 and/or to a position belowadjacent side 150. - Moreover, in some embodiments, it should be understood that ribs or
seams 100 can be disposed incontainer 100 in a radial fashion such that the size and/or shape of the ribs orseams 100 is generally equal at each radial position aboutcontainer 10 when viewed from above. Conversely, however, ribs orseams 100 can be disposed incontainer 100 in a non-uniform fashion, if desired. Still further, it should be understood that ribs and seams 100 can be disposed in mirrored relationship as illustrated inFIG. 4 . Still further, ribs and seams 100 can be disposed such that a pair or more of ribs and seams 100 can be seen from opposing surfaces and concealed when viewed from adjacent opposing surfaces (seeFIGS. 5 and 6 ). - In some embodiments, as illustrated in
FIG. 4 , inwardly directedchannel 154 of ribs and seams 100 can define or include a generallyarcuate surface 160. In some embodiments,arcuate surface 160 can define a radius that transitions fromside 150 to an interior surface of outwardly directedportion 156. - Still further, in some embodiments as illustrated in
FIG. 4 , outwardly directedportion 156 can be coplanar withsides 152 and extend a distance such thatdistal tip 158 is generally even with a plane defined by at least a portion ofadjacent side 150. Inwardly directedchannel 154 can be formed as a radius extending fromside 150 and terminating at an inner surface of outwardly directedportion 156. - In some embodiments, ribs or
seams 100 can serve as a hinge feature permitting the articulation and/or movement of the interface betweensides - As seen in
FIG. 4 ,container 10 can further comprise transition lands 170 at opposing ends of ribs or seams 100. Specifically, in some embodiments, transition lands 170 can comprise a pair of mirrored surfaces inwardly directed relative tocontainer 10. In some cases, transition lands 170 can each being generally triangularly shaped to provide transition between ribs orseams 100 and adjacent surfaces, such as portions ofsidewall portion 24,shoulder portion 22, and/orbase portion 28. Transition lands 170 can further provide structural reinforcement along ribs orseams 100 to further carry and then distributed carried forces. - The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.
Claims (20)
Priority Applications (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
BR112013001346A BR112013001346B1 (en) | 2010-07-20 | 2011-07-19 | lateral action insert / skeletal ribs |
PCT/US2011/044420 WO2012012358A2 (en) | 2010-07-20 | 2011-07-19 | Side action insert / skeletal stiffening ribs |
MX2013000558A MX2013000558A (en) | 2010-07-20 | 2011-07-19 | Side action insert / skeletal stiffening ribs. |
US13/185,528 US8631963B2 (en) | 2010-07-20 | 2011-07-19 | Side action insert/skeletal stiffening ribs |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US36586510P | 2010-07-20 | 2010-07-20 | |
US13/185,528 US8631963B2 (en) | 2010-07-20 | 2011-07-19 | Side action insert/skeletal stiffening ribs |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20120018440A1 true US20120018440A1 (en) | 2012-01-26 |
US8631963B2 US8631963B2 (en) | 2014-01-21 |
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Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US13/185,528 Active US8631963B2 (en) | 2010-07-20 | 2011-07-19 | Side action insert/skeletal stiffening ribs |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US8631963B2 (en) |
BR (1) | BR112013001346B1 (en) |
MX (1) | MX2013000558A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2012012358A2 (en) |
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US20130193101A1 (en) * | 2010-01-14 | 2013-08-01 | Amcor Limited | Heat set container |
WO2013110631A1 (en) * | 2012-01-27 | 2013-08-01 | Nestec S.A. | Load-bearing and vacuum-resistant containers |
USD741720S1 (en) * | 2014-07-17 | 2015-10-27 | Kirti Anandani | Rectangular perfume bottle |
USD881707S1 (en) * | 2015-11-26 | 2020-04-21 | Guerlain | Bottle |
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GB201013267D0 (en) * | 2010-08-06 | 2010-09-22 | Enigma Diagnostics Ltd | Vessel and process for production thereof |
USD794467S1 (en) * | 2012-08-09 | 2017-08-15 | Friendship Products, Llc | Container |
USD736642S1 (en) | 2014-01-24 | 2015-08-18 | Conopco, Inc. | Bottle |
USD806550S1 (en) * | 2015-01-28 | 2018-01-02 | Mary Kay Inc. | Bottle with cap |
JP7040454B2 (en) * | 2016-10-14 | 2022-03-23 | ニプロ株式会社 | container |
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- 2011-07-19 BR BR112013001346A patent/BR112013001346B1/en active IP Right Grant
- 2011-07-19 WO PCT/US2011/044420 patent/WO2012012358A2/en active Application Filing
- 2011-07-19 US US13/185,528 patent/US8631963B2/en active Active
- 2011-07-19 MX MX2013000558A patent/MX2013000558A/en active IP Right Grant
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US20070045222A1 (en) * | 2002-12-05 | 2007-03-01 | Graham Packaging Company, L.P. | Rectangular container |
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USD741720S1 (en) * | 2014-07-17 | 2015-10-27 | Kirti Anandani | Rectangular perfume bottle |
USD881707S1 (en) * | 2015-11-26 | 2020-04-21 | Guerlain | Bottle |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
MX2013000558A (en) | 2013-06-05 |
WO2012012358A3 (en) | 2012-04-12 |
BR112013001346A2 (en) | 2017-06-20 |
WO2012012358A2 (en) | 2012-01-26 |
US8631963B2 (en) | 2014-01-21 |
BR112013001346B1 (en) | 2019-12-03 |
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